Remote control device



Aug. 21, 1934. w HU 1,971,130

REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN Y Aug. 21, 1934. w, CHUBB 1,971,130

REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Len 1's W- C/Jubb ATTO R N EY Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,971,130 REMOTE CONTROL nEvwE Pennsylvania Application May 20, 1932, Serial No. 612,512

2 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical control apparatus and it has particular relation to the remote control of devices for regulating electrical circuits.

'5 In apparatus adapted to operate in any one of a plurality of positions, such, for example, as radio receiver tuners, it is often desirable to provide means for selecting any one of the positions from a distant operating point. Devices heretofore utilized for this purpose fail to combine accurate positioning with simplicity of structure and opera mu.

According to my invention, I provide a plurality of contact brushes cooperating with a commutator member attached to the controlled apparatus, each brush being adapted to be independently placed in circuit through the commu- I tator member with a motor device, whereby the motor device is energized to move the member to go a predetermined position with reference to the brush.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a remote control device for accurately positioning a controlled unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a remote control device which is entirely energized by alternating current.

Another object of my invention is to provide a remote control device which does not interfere with manual adjustments of the controlled unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a remote control device which is not subject to hunting.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a remote control device which applies a high torque to the controlled device at all points of its travel, and which is entirely disconnected from the controlled device when not in service.

Further objects will be apparent from the fol lowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a system of control embodying my invention, and V Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views of modifications of the system shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 shows a disk member 1 of an insulating'psubstance afflxedto a shaft 2 which is associated with appa ratus to be controlled, such, for example, as the tuning condensers of a radio receiver. Two electrically conducting segment-s3 and 4 are mounted onthe peripheral surface of the member 1, the

segments being separated by relatively short insulating gaps 5 and 6.

other suitable source of power. terminal of the transformer secondary is connected by a common conductor 33 to the four remainingcontacts of the switches 15, 16, 1'1 and 18.

ing 27 is energized by a current leading the same voltage by 22 2 the shoe 26 will be actuated A plurality of brushes '1, 8, 9 and 10 are positioned in contact with the segments 3 and 4, the width of each brush being suflicient to exactly bridge the gap 5. The brushes are respectively connected by conductors ll, 12, 13 and 14 to one contact on each of four switches 15, 16, 17 and 18. The switches may be located at a remote point and are adapted to control the positioning of the member 1 in a manner hereinafter set forth.

In order to rotate the member 1, I provide a 6 motor device 19 which comprises a pair of solenoids 20 and 21 having armature elements 22 and 23. The armature elements are pivotally connected by links 24 and 25 to a friction shoe 26 which is located adjacent to, but normally out of contact with, a surface of the segments 3 and 4.

The solenoids are adapted to be energized by windings 2'7 and 28 a terminal of one winding 27 being connected to one segment 3 by means of a conductor 29, and a terminal of the other winding 28 being connected to the other segment 4 by means of a conductor 30. The remaining two terminals of the windings are connected by means of a common conductor 31 to one terminal of the secondary of a transformer 32, or of some The remaining A condenser 34 is connected to the two segments 3 and 4. The capacitance of this condenser is so related to the inductance and resistance of the windings 27 and 28 that an alternating voltage across either winding produces a current lagging the voltage by about substantially 22 2 and an alternating voltage across either winding in series with the condenser produces a current leading the voltage by approximately 22 It should be noted that the armature elements 22 and 23 actuate the common shoe 26 by the links 24 and 25 which are arranged at an angle of about When winding 28 is traversed by a current lagging the voltage by 22 /22 and windthrough a rotary path in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby driving the member 1 in a clockwise direction. It follows that when winding 27 is energized by a leading current, and winding 28 plied voltage, whether the voltage is negative or positive.

A modification of my invention may be seen in Fig. 2 in which brushes 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the de- 6 vice as shown in Fig. 1 are replaced by the elecconductor 33, switch 13 and conductor. 14 .to 'brush '10. Brush 10 makes sliding contact with trically actuated brushes 35, 36 and 37. The brushes 35, 36 and 3"! are energized by windings 38, 39 and 40, respectively, and are connected by conductors 41, 42 and 43 to one side of the switches 44, 45 and 46 located at some remote point. The other terminals of the windings are connected by the common conductor 47 to one terminal of the secondary of transformer 48 and from the other terminal of the transformer secondary to the switches 44, 45 and 46 by conductor 49. Upon energization of one of the windings 38, 39 or 40, the corresponding actuated brush 35, 36 or 3'7 is moved into sliding contact with the periphery of one of the segments 3 or 4 whichever segment happens to be directly underneath the brush actuated. It will be noted that the brushes 35, 36 and 37 are connected to line 47. Thus when any brush is actuated into contact with one of the segments, it completes a circuit through the solenoids 20 and 21 and including the transformer secondary as a source of power. The solenoids 20 and 21 are thus caused to be actuated in a manner as shown in Fig. 1. It should be here noted that the brush used in this modification of my invention is of a wedge shape. Having encountered gap 5 or 6, the wedge shaped brush drops therein, positioning itself, regardless of the direction of rotation of member 1, exactly in the center of the gap.

Another modification of my invention may be seen in Fig. 3 in which the single friction shoe of Figs. 1 and 2 is replaced by two friction shoes 50 and 51 actuated respectively through levers 24 and 25 by their individual solenoids 20 and 21. It is also to be noted that the condenser 34 of Figs. 1 and 2 is not necessary to this modification as only one of the solenoids 20 and 21 is used for a given direction of rotation during the operation of the device. It is easily seen that solenoid 21 actuates the lever 25 and the friction shoe 51 in such a manner as to rotate the disk 1 in a clockwise direction, whereas, solenoid 20 actuates lever 24 and friction shoe 50 in such a manner to rotate the disk 1 in a counter-clockwise direction.

- tuated by a motor 52 driving a friction clutch 53 that is energized by winding 54. The clutch 53, upon engagement, rotates a worm drive 55 engaging a circular rack 56 attached to the member 1 by any suitable means.

The operation of the above described species of my invention may now be set forth.

Depressing switch 18 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig.1, closesa circuit from one tenninal of.the secondary of transformer 32 through segment 4 closing the aforementioned circuit through conductor 30,'the solenoid winding 28, and conductor 31 to the other terminal of the transformer secondary. Condenser 34 and solenoid winding 27 are connected in parallel relationship to solenoid winding 28. The windings 28 and 27 being energized, one with a leading current and the other witha lagging current, actuate the friction shoe 26 engaging the disk 1 in such a manner as to rotate the disk in a clockwise direction. The rotation is continued until brush 10 meets the insulated gap 5 at which point the circuit is broken, the windings 27 and 28 deenergized, the movement of the friction shoe 26 stopped, positioning the disk 1 at the point desired. If the brush 10 is of sufficient width to span the gap 5, the windings 27 and 28 will not be deenergized but the condenser 34, will be shorted thereby balancing the circuits through the coils and thus giving shoe 26 a radial motion. It may easily be seen from the drawings that the disk 1, upon rotating beyond the desired point, will cause the windings 27 and 28 to reverse themselves in respect to leading and lagging current, reversing the direction of the actuation of shoe 26 thereby causing a reverse rotation of disk 1. This procedure will continue until the disk 1 positions itself at the exact point desired.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the circuit connections are not broken by one of the brushes 35, 36, or 3'1 engaging the gap 5 or 6 but are only broken by switch 44, 45, or 46, being released. The disk 1 is positioned by the balanced fitting action of the wedge shape brush 35, 36 or 3'? within the gap 5 or 6. The number of positions available depends upon the number of brush contacts and their location around the disk.

In employing my invention in apparatus of the radio receiver type, any convenient number of station selectors may be used. These are so adjusted around the periphery of the disk 1 as to bring the disk to a halt at predetermined stations. Once adjusted, these predetermined stations may be obtained merely by pressing the switch corresponding to any particular station desired.

While I have disclosed a number of modifications of my invention, it is apparent that the corresponding parts of these modifications may be interchanged without departing from the scope of my invention.

It will also be evident that other devices which are adapted to rotate disk members may be substituted for the apparatus herein described within the broader scope of my invention and that means other than that shown for energizing the device may be employed therewith. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: V

1. A motor comprising a rotatable disk,la friction shoe for engaging said disk, a plurality of electromagnets associated with said shoe, an

alternating current circuit for each electromagnet, a condenser and means'to connect said condenser selectively with the supply circuit of either electromagnet for altering the time current characteristic of the electromagnet circuits to control the sequence of operation of the electromagnets.

2. .A motorcomprisinga rotatable disk. 2. friction shoe. for engaging saiddisk, a plurality of electromagnets 1 associated with .said shoe, an alternating current circuit for each electromag- LEWIS W. CHUBB. 

